Volunteers like Rosemary Kite and Peter Humphrey are a vital part of the service St Richard’s offers to patients, helping them to travel to Day Hospice where they can receive specialist care and support and enjoy the company of others in similar situations.
Rosemary and Peter describe a typical day for them at St Richard’s and explain why their volunteering roles are important to them:
Rosemary Kite told us; “I first became a volunteer for St Richard’s Hospice in 2006 after successfully completing the induction [programme.
“I chose to become an escort on the minibus, which transports patients to Day Hospice, as I like to have contact with people. The role is interesting and varied and involves picking up patients from their home and returning them mid-afternoon.
“I find this voluntary role most rewarding and it is very restoring to see the smile on a patient’s face as my driver and I arrive to pick them up for a day of caring and pampering tin the Day Hospice.”
Peter Humphrey said; “I saw mention in the hospice Heartbeat newsletter for drivers and have been volunteering for five years.
“Each Thursday I bring in patients to the Day Hospice, usually from the area where I live but it sometimes includes nearby villages. We arrive at 10:30am. I then take them home at 3:00pm. Occasionally I also fill in for other drivers who come in on another day but are on holiday or otherwise unavailable.
“Some drivers go home during the day but I stay on at the hospice and do small admin jobs and, when required, provide transport for people attending counselling or other support groups that meet at the hospice. The admin work I do includes maintaining the volunteers section of the website and editing contributions for a bi-monthly newsletter for volunteers.
“The hospice is a lovely place and the staff are all wonderful. I really enjoy my volunteering and feel that the hospice really appreciates my contribution.”